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Chris Devotion and The Expectations, and Lessons In Luck

Chris Devotion and The Expectations are lucky. They’re lucky in more than one sense, which must make them extra lucky. Lucky is what bands need to be.

Their most important slice of luck materialises in their ability to write tasty, up-and-at-’em rock songs like A Modest Refusal – the type of song that doesn’t get written often enough, with a howl-along chorus, a genuinely anthemic feel, and the kind of gosh-darn perfect chord changes that make grown men leap about with joy.

The song below is not A Modest Refusal. It’s Blister, which is a good song, but not as good. And here’s where CD/EX are extra lucky.

EDIT:The band’s label Armellodie have made A Modest Refusal available to all and sundry now, and it’s embedded above. I urge you to listen, because it’s a smash. Thanks guys!

The reason you can’t hear A Modest Refusal here is because I can’t embed it on my website. You’ll have to visit Myspace – remember that? – or purchase their album to hear it.

Usually, if a band makes showcasing their work enormously restrictive, I can’t be bothered to invest any more time in them, will pick another band, and move on. CD/EX are lucky that I liked A Modest Refusal enough to feature them regardless.

When they (very occasionally) ask for advice, I always tell new bands to make their music as easily accessible as possible. All of it.

The old here’s-one-track-now-buy-the-rest tease doesn’t work so well now. It limits your exposure in an industry where exposure is now king, and money will only reveal itself once you have that exposure.

I had to visit the label’s private Soundcloud page, then the band’s website, then the band’s Facebook page, then the band’s Twitter feed and finally the band’s Myspace page before I could find a legitimate shareable link to the song I really, really liked.

Most people searching for their next favourite song will grant you one click if you’re lucky. Which, apparently, Chris Devotion and The Expectations are.